Playing With Fire
by iamselena
Summary: Tsukimori/Hino. Undomesticated as he is, Tsukimori Len decided to cook, which led to a very hot night.


**AN:** La Corda D'Oro rocks! :D This is my first fic in this fandom, and hopefully I did some justice here. Oh, and as much as I love the other male concours members, I decided to write Tsukimori/Hino. :D

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**_Playing with Fire_**

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Hino Kahoko eyed the sapphire-haired violinist with dubious eyes. "Are you sure you're up to do this?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "You don't have to, you know."

Tsukimori Len glared at her, thoroughly annoyed. "And what's that supposed to mean?" he shot back, frowning, his ego hurt. "For your information, I am perfectly capable of doing this by myself."

Kaho sighed. "Stupid pride," she muttered underneath her breath, out of Len's earshot. She looked up at him. "Okay, if you're sure…" She purposefully let her voice trail off, and Len caught up swiftly.

"I am sure," he answered firmly. He then smiled, softening the blow. "You go ahead with Fuyuumi-san and I'll take care of dinner."

Kaho smiled and tiptoed to kiss her fiancé. "Well, if you're in any trouble do not hesitate to call me, okay?" Kaho looked back and observed him. "Okay?"

Len sighed. "Okay already," he replied. "I promise. Although, you have nothing to worry about."

Kaho laughed. "Oh, really?" Len walked her to the door and she waved her goodbye. "See you later. And don't burn anything while I'm gone!"

**X**

Len heaved a sigh and went straight to the kitchen. He looked at the clock and swiftly calculated that he has two hours or so before Kaho came back from her shopping spree with Fuyuumi-san. With determination, he grabbed the nearest apron—which is pink with flowers bordering on the edges—and resignedly tied the ribbon behind his back.

Now this is embarrassing. He, Tsukimori Len, an ice cube who doesn't show emotions easily to other people, is wearing a girly apron that most men wouldn't be caught dead in them. As he dug around the bookshelf for a cookbook, he made a mental reminder to himself to tell Kaho to buy new aprons.

Finding a glossy cookbook among others that proposed easy recipes to make, Len thumbed his way, searching for an effortless dish that doesn't require much fire, but tasty at the same time. His pride was severely dent by his fiancée, who doesn't trust him in cooking dinner, as she knew he wasn't domesticated in any way.

"I'll show her," he said out loud, grabbing a bowl after deciding on making mushroom soup and a real good-looking fish. Fish isn't so bad, he relented, taking one out from the freezer. He'd show Kaho that he could cook.

**X**

"This looks delicious, Fuyuumi-chan!" Kaho exclaimed, pointing to a delicious-looking chocolate cake dribbled in fudge. After an hour of searching for clothes, she and Fuyuumi-chan were hungry and found a cake shop near the department store. "Want some, too?"

The other girl nodded enthusiastically, and they sat on one of the tables circled around the shop after ordering two slices of the said admired cake. Eating alfresco while the sky is clear is definitely the thing to do. Coffee was delivered by one of the waitresses, and they waited for the cakes to arrive.

"I hope the wedding plans are coming along terrifically, Kaho-senpai," Fuyuumi-chan started the conversation, before sipping on her cappuccino.

The red-haired girl nodded joyously. "Everything's great," she exclaimed. "Len's mother is doing most of the work, and she's very efficient. My mom is also excited."

Fuyuumi smiled. "That's nice to hear, Kaho-senpai," she said sincerely, glad for her friend. "And Tsukimori-kun? How's he holding up?"

Kaho rolled her eyes in exasperation, but they were sparkling in undisguised happiness. "He's not helping with the wedding plans, saying it's all girls' stuff. Boys," she scoffed.

Fuyuumi giggled. "Where is he?"

"At his apartment." The waitress chose that moment to deliver their cakes, and the girls dug in heartily. "I left him there, and he decided to cook dinner for us," Kaho informed, her mouth full of chocolate goodness.

The cerulean-haired girl raised her eyebrow. "Really? But isn't Tsukimori-kun incapable of handling machines that produces fire?"

Kaho nodded. "But he insisted, and I can't do anything about it when his male pride gets in the way." She sighed. "I just hope his apartment is intact when I get home."

**X**

Len gave a sneeze.

Someone must be talking about him somewhere.

But his concentration soon refocused on the task in front of him. That is, how to make soup without boiling it. Heating up their dinner back then sucked, how was he supposed to **make** soup? It was impossible! But nevertheless, he has to. For Kaho and for his manly pride. Yeah, think about how Kaho would laugh or say the four frustrating words known to men, "I told you so."

Whoever invented those words ought to be hanged.

Len sighed and grabbed the powdered soup from the cupboard. Might as well follow what's written on the tin than humiliate himself in front of his fiancée.

"Fill the pot with five cups of water," he read aloud, "and pour contents onto pot after boiling for a few minutes." Diligently finishing the first instruction, Len read the rest. After completing everything that needed to be done, Len focused his attention to the fish lying innocently on the counter. How to cook it again--?

**X**

Kaho raised an eyebrow, while Len couldn't look in her eyes. The firemen were running around, putting out the small fire that occurred in the Tsukimori apartment. It was just a small one.

"So," she said, placing a hand on her hip. "What happened?"

Len sighed. "I didn't know how to use the microwave oven," he muttered, "and I was cooking the soup. But then someone called and I got caught up with that, and then there was smoke. Lots of smoke. That's when I called the fire department."

Kaho was silent.

Then…

"You can say it."

She looked up at him in confusion. "Say what?" Kaho asked.

"I told you so," Len replied with a hint of irony.

Kaho giggled and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. "Well, I'm not going to say it. 'Cause you already know it. But never mind that, Len. It's not a big deal."

"But I promised you I'd make dinner," Len groaned, lifting his head. "What are we going to eat?"

Kaho smiled. "I brought us something. Cake and takeout pizza." She lifted the plastic bag.

Len smiled and kissed her forehead. "Sounds good," he agreed, and she rested her head on his shoulder.

Maybe dinner wouldn't be so bad after all. But Len will definitely leave the cooking to Kaho when they get married.

"Hey. Wait a minute. Did you actually think I was going to burn the apartment?"

No comment.

"Kaho!"

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…and it's done. I'm not exactly satisfied with the ending, but I couldn't insert a more romantic… thing in there. So it went like this. Hope you guys all liked it. Thanks very much for taking the time to read this. Mwah!


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